


Two Old Men and the Ocean

by viola1516



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Post-Gravity Falls, stanuary week two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 05:22:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9307145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viola1516/pseuds/viola1516
Summary: Created for week two of "Stanuary" on tumblr. The theme is protect.One-shot. Stan and Ford experience the stars, along with some nightmares, on their voyage aboard the Stan O' War II. Feel free to comment!





	

Stan couldn’t sleep.

He and Ford had had a long day on the _Stan O’ War II._ They had docked briefly outside of Reykjavik for supplies. (Who knew Ford spoke Icelandic?) Then they were on their way again, continuing their journey together, as brothers. Oh, and they had run into that pesky squid again. 

Normally after such an action packed day, the gentle rocking of the boat on the waves would’ve been enough to lull Stan into sleep. But tonight, for some reason, was different. Stan had laid in his cot across from Ford’s in their library/bedroom hours after his brother’s breathing evened out, but sleep never came. 

Finally, he got up, joints cracking loudly, and began to wander the vessel. 

He made sure to check the sails, and their projected path to wherever they were headed next. According to Ford’s calculations, that was… Oslo, Norway. _Huh,_ Stan mused, _a country Ford’s not banned in._

He moved outside the cabin to the railing, and looked out over the ocean, amazed and awed.

The sea at night was something else. Stan had thought he’d never seen the stars until he’d moved to Gravity Falls. He was wrong. Out here in the open ocean, it was a whole different world. 

Ford knew all about the fancy-schmancy constell-whatevers up in the stars. Stupid pictures those ancient Greeks or Romans had invented. Stan still couldn’t see how that cluster of stars made a bear. But they sure were somethin’.

Stan sighed and made his way back to the cabin, joints creaking, hoping to catch some sleep. 

Entering the bedroom/library, Stan was surprised to see Ford tossing and turning and mumbling in his sleep. _He usually sleeps like a rock,_ Stan thought to himself. Even when they were kids, Ford wouldn’t even get out of bed until morning. _Unless he was having a nightmare._ His overactive imagination plus all the science books he read were a dangerous combination; Ford had horrible nightmares at least once a week. 

But Ford was an adult now, just like Stan, both of whom needed their sleep. Figuring his brother could fight his own mental battles, what with all that meditation and yoga baloney he did, Stan sat down on his own cot, preparing to have another go at that whole sleep thing.

That is, until Ford sat bolt upright in bed. “ _NO!_ ” he yelled, making Stan jump a foot in the air. “ _Take me instead!_ ”

Stan slowly stood up, and slowly crossed the five foot space between their beds as his brother came back to consciousness.

“You okay, Sixer?” Stan asked cautiously.

It seemed to take Ford an extra few seconds to gain his bearings. “Oh, um, Stanley,” he began, voice weak and trembling. He cleared his throat, and readjusted his glasses where they had gone askew. “I’m fine,” he continued gruffly. “Just a little nightmare was all.”

But Stan could see how Ford’s hands shook, and the tears he blinked back behind his thick, cracked glasses. Even after all this time, he still knew his brother better than anyone. 

He sat down heavily on the bed beside his brother. “That sounded like more than just a nightmare, Ford. I haven’t seen you like that since we were kids.”

Ford shook his head, as if he was trying to dispel the remnants of his dream.

“Do you…” Stan trailed off. He wasn’t any good at this comforting and protecting thing. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

Ford gave his brother a rueful smile. “I think I’ll be okay.” There was a beat before he added quietly, “Thank you though, Stan.”

“Anytime, Poindexter.”

The two sat in silence for a moment. Stan could feel the day’s exhaustion setting in.

“Well, I doubt I’ll be able to get back to sleep now,” Ford sighed, checking his watch. 

“What, your wild imagination got you?” Stan replied with a smile, putting an arm around his brother. 

“No,” Ford replied, suddenly serious. “Just the past.”

Stan was silent for a moment, taken off guard.

“Hey,” Stan said finally. “That’s why they call it the past. It’s all past us now.”

Ford nodded, lost in his own thoughts.

After a moment, Stan stood up. “C’mon, Poindexter. The stars are out tonight.”

Ford looked up. “Actually, Stan,” he began matter-of-factly, “The stars are out all the time. We just can’t see them because of our atmosphere.”

Stan rolled his eyes. “Spare me the science talk and come on.”

Ford smiled, and followed his brother out to the deck. 

Standing side by side in the darkness, Stan couldn’t help but feel small. The universe was so big, and they were just two old men out on the ocean.

“Pegasus is visible tonight,” Ford commented, eyes bright with that same child-like wonder from when they were kids, looking through their beat-up old telescope back in New Jersey. “And there’s Cassiopeia!” He added, pointing at a group of stars that made no picture to Stan. “Have you ever heard the Greek myth about her?” Ford asked, eyes bright.

Stan shook his head, happy to see his brother back to his usual self. 

Stan smiled, taking in the beauty of the cosmos as Ford began telling his story. He knew that he was losing valuable sleeping time, but he didn’t care. _Sleep be damned,_ he thought. _You’re gettin’ old. You’ll sleep when you’re dead._

And in that moment, Stan decided there was no place he’d rather be.


End file.
